Chapter 483


    Chapter 483


    Ste


    “Oh, my sister will shit a ton of bricks if she found out her precious little snookum-ookums was out


    last night. At the Crescent, of all ces? Girly, she never even liked going there herself. She said it


    was trashy.” Selena snorted moreughter and shook her head. She put the mug on the table and


    swiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Shit. What were you doing there?”


    I put the decanter of vodka back on the cart while I tried to get myself into some kind of emotional


    coolness. Selena had really made me mad. Hurt my feelings, too.


    With my back to her, I said, “Why are you being so mean to me for no reason?”


    “Aww, puddin’. I get that you think you’re special, but trust me. I’m just a bitch to everyone.”


    I took the seat next to hers. “I don’t think I’m special. I actually am special, Aunt Selena.”


    “So fucking earnest, too. And don’t call me that.” She grimaced.


    “Why not?”


    “Because I told you not to, kid, and I’m your elder.”


    “Don’t say that,” I told her harshly. “Don’t call yourself anyone’s elder. That’s…they’re gone.”


    Selena’s meanughter faded. So did her smile. She studied me in silence, and after a few


    seconds, shook her head. “You’re a piece of work. I can tell you’re my sister’s daughter, all right.


    You both have the same smug, self-satisfied face.”


    My hands flew up to touch my cheeks. At her wide eyes, I put them down. I tried hard to stop myself


    from frowning. “I don’t. And you shouldn’t talk about my mother that way.”


    “I’ll talk about her any way I want to. She was my sister long before she was your mother.”


    “But…it’s mean,” I said, sounding helpless. “I just don’t understand.”


    Selena got up and stalked to the bar cart. She opened the vodka decanter and drank directly from


    it. She put it down, then whirled to face me with her fists clenched. I could see the re of her gaze


    even through the dark sunsses. Her wolf snarled, and she bit it back.


    “She abandoned me,” she said finally. “She just up and fucking left, okay? No clue where she was.


    What she was doing, if she was okay, nothing. I had to watch my mother grieve her like she was


    dead, okay? I can never forgive her for that.”


    “She was trying to save you. And everyone else. And she did,” I told my aunt, even though I could


    tell my words weren’t going to change her mind.


    I could do something else to her that would, though.


    “Don’t you fucking dare,” Selena growled. “I can see it on your face, I told you that. If you’re going to


    go around manipting people, you’d better learn to hide it with a little more skill.”


    I didn’t say anything, but I didn’t try to use any energies to calm her down, either.


    Selena made a wild gesture at the books on the wall. “Yeah, I studied up on you, kid. Some of these


    books, only a couple, have information in them about Celestials. So I know all about you, and what


    you’re capable of. So don’t you dare try.”


    To my rm, her breath hitched in and out on sobs. Silver tears trickled out from beneath the


    sunsses. She didn’t bother to wipe them away.


    “You think it’s been easy for me? Ever since I turned eighteen, it’s been like every step I take, some


    horny dude is there trying to get in my pants. I can feel their stupid wolves circling mine. I can’t even


    go out dancing without having to fend them off. The other girls are nearly out of their minds with


    jealousy because all the guys they’re interested in taking as mates are slobbering over me. I can


    feel them,” Selena said. “I can feel them starting to hate me because everyone wants me so much.


    And none of them, not a single damned one, actually wants to take me as his mate. My sister has


    three mates, and I can’t even get one guy to like me.”


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    “That’s not my mom’s fault. She didn’t make you a hybrid.”


    “No, but she sure as hell could’ve stuck around to help me figure out how to get through this!”


    I shook my head and kept my voice low. “Ah…I mean, Selena, she couldn’t have. Don’t you get it?


    There was more at stake than you. If she hadn’t gone off the way she did, you probably—”


    “Oh, I know. I’d have been mated the moment I turned eighteen. Probably to two males who might


    not have liked me, either. But don’t you get it? As awful as that might’ve been, at least I’d have had


    my sister here!” Selena burst into thick, harsh sobs.


    I knew she didn’t want my sorries, so I didn’t say it again. I did step closer to her. I reached but


    didn’t dare touch her. Instead, I said the only thing I could think of.


    “I can help you.”